Silver Pocket Purse
A silver pocket purse offers a compact way to carry coins and small valuables, spanning Victorian and Edwardian periods in sterling silver and leather.
Silver Pocket Purse
When you search for a silver pocket purse, you encounter small personal accessories designed for daily use during the late Victorian, Edwardian, and George V eras. These pieces include coin holders, small purses, and sovereign cases alongside related items like scent flasks and travel clocks.
You are most likely to meet Edwardian sterling silver sovereign cases and small leather purses with silver mounts on this page. The forms range from heart-shaped holders to folding travel clocks, reflecting the diverse pocket accessories of the early twentieth century.
How they were made
Makers formed these items using sterling silver, often combining the metal with crocodile skin, leather, glass, or enamel. Birmingham assay offices hallmarked many of these pieces during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Techniques involved polishing the silver to a bright finish and mounting precious metals onto durable organic materials like crocodile leather. Metal smiths constructed hinged mechanisms for sovereign cases and folding clock enclosures to withstand frequent pocket use.
What varies in quality
The distinction between ordinary and superior pieces rests on the crispness of the hallmarks and the precision of the metal hinges. Maker marks from established silversmiths elevate the standing of a piece.
The preservation of organic components such as crocodile skin and leather alongside the silver mountings dictates the overall integrity of the accessory. Cleanly polished surfaces and well-fitted closing mechanisms indicate superior original manufacture.
Charles Penny Brown·Aaron Lufkin Dennison·Henry Charles Freeman·Ludwig Krumm·Mappin and Webb
The Silver Pocket Purse Glossary
- Sterling silver
- A silver alloy containing 92.5 percent pure silver by mass and 7.5 percent other metals, usually copper. This standard metal composition appears across the majority of the antique items.
- Sovereign case
- A small, pocket-sized container specifically designed to hold British gold sovereign coins securely. These cases often feature spring-loaded internal mechanisms for individual coins.
- Hallmark
- An official stamp applied by an assay office to indicate the purity of a precious metal, the place of testing, and the year of production. Birmingham served as a primary location for these marks on the listed items.
- Edwardian
- Pertaining to the reign of King Edward VII from 1901 to 1910, though the style often encompasses the broader decade surrounding this period. Pieces from this era frequently display refined decorative restraint.
Silver Pocket Purse: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a silver pocket purse?
A silver pocket purse is a small accessory used historically to carry currency or valuables securely in a pocket.
These pieces typically date from the Victorian and Edwardian eras and combine sterling silver with materials like leather.
How do I date a silver case?
You date a silver case by examining the stamped hallmarks which indicate the specific assay office and year of testing.
Birmingham hallmarks and maker marks provide precise chronological markers for pieces from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Were sovereign cases used daily?
Sovereign cases were carried daily by individuals needing to transport gold coins safely in their pockets.
The spring-loaded mechanisms allowed holders to dispense coins easily during commercial transactions.
How should I clean silver accessories?
Silver accessories require gentle polishing with a soft cloth to maintain the reflective surface without removing the hallmark details.
Care must be taken around organic elements like crocodile leather to avoid moisture damage.